Illuminated show-case.



No. 845,652. PATEN'IED FEB. 26, 1907. M. E. LA BERGB. ILLUMINATED SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1906.

[77, asHEETs-SHEBT 1 f. f( W I 8 L I PATENTED PEB. 26, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. E. LA BERGE. ILLUMINATED SHOW CASE. APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY z3 1906 UNITED STATES .PATENT oEEIoE.` j

ILLUMINATED SHOW-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed May 23, 1906. Serial No. 318,428.

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MAXIMILIAN E. BEEGE, a citizen of the United States, resid- Ing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented .a new and useful IlluminatedqShow-Case, of

which the following is a specification.

'Ihis invention relates to means for illumi-4 nating show-cases, particularly show-eases which are formed for the greater part of glass-for example, what are known as allglass show-cases.

The main object ofthe present invention is to provide means for supporting the refiector in a show-case, which supporting means will alsoserve as .an element in the construction or support ofthe show-case elements. n

A further object of the invention is to provide for the ventilation of the show-case and for carrying off the heat developedfby the illuminating agent.

Another object of the invention is to prevent as far as possible the entrance of dust into the show-case through the Ventilating means.

Another object of the invention is to conceal the leading-in Wires for they illuminating means and do away with the -usual tubes or pillars used. for this purpose, which are lobjectionable in appearance.

The 'accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the show-ease, showing the general application of the invention.

Afront eleva-tion. Fig''4'is` ahagmental plan.

` sectional view of another form. front elevation of the form shown in i 4, and 5, lates 4 and 'linew1o m10 in Fig. 9..

Fig.. 5 is a fragmental section on line :1;5 1n Fig. 4. Fig; 6 is a broken front elevation showing afdifferent form of the reflector-support and ventilator. -Fig. `7 is a transverse the upper front corner thereof, eXtendin v from one end to the other of the case, sai

LA porting Fi 2'is a transverse broken sectionalv e -ftop' glass view of .t e 'show-case. Fifr. 3 is a broken ifastenings,

8 isv reflector being provided with means for suplamps therein, means for reflecting the light from the said lamps rearwardly and downwardly into the show-case, means in the form of a strip 7, attached thereto and eX- tending within the joint between the top' plate 3 and wall-plate 4 to support'the reiiector and means, such as openings indicated at 8 in said strips kfor establishing communication from the inside to the outside of the case between the top of thefront plate and the bottoni of the top plate, so as to maintain a condition of ventilation and allow escape of the heated air rising from the lamps. This reflector also serves as an element in the show-case construction, as will be more fully understood on reference to Figs. 2 and 3, wherein the relieetor element is shown more in detail. The reflector consists of two longitudinal reliector members or strips 9l 10, having forward extensions or lattachments in the form of longitudinal strips 11 12, which are secured together, one above the other, to form an elongated box-strip, which serves for support and attachment of the reflector as a whole. The lower strip 11 is formed as a channel-strip, having a flange 13 at its front end andthe strip 9 at its rear edge, the parts being adapted to fit over and engage on each side of the front plate, the

4said strip resting on top ofl said plate and the said flanges engaging the plate to hold the strip and the attached reflector on the front plate. The top plate 12 extends beneath the plate of ther show-case and is held down Ion"theffront glass plate 4'by the preslsure and weight of said top glass plate and by the fastening means, such as cement or metal as hereinafter set forth. Cushions 14 are bottom strips 11 12 and the respective glass A lates 3 4. The top plate 12 has along its orward edge a downwardly-extendingr flange 15, which is cut away to form perforations 8 for the passage of air through the box-strip. -At the rear edge of the lower Astrip 11 a flange or shoulder 17 is provided to act as a dustarrester, this 'shoulder being formed, for example, as a flange on strip 11.

'lhe outer ends of the reflector-strips 9 10.may be rolled or beaded, as shown at 16,

to stinen the same and give a finish, and the front reflector-strip 9 has pins orstuds 18 to engage the rear face of the front plate 4 to brace the refiector and prevent it from sag-` provided between'the top and 95 .r movement, and the other ging. The reflector-strips or plates 9` 10m are connected at each end by an end plate 19, which holds the reflector-strips in proper relation, the reiiector-strips extending rearwardly and downwardly in diverted directions, so that the reflector is wider at the bottom than at the top, and is directed in a general way toward the center of the case.

'I'he illuminating means preferably consists of electric lamps, (indicated at 20,) which aremounted on sockets 21, carried by arms 22, extending from a longitudinal tube 23, whichextends from end to end of the reflector and is supported 'by arms 22, attached to the reflector-plates. The Wires or leads 24 25, which supply the lamps with current, extend longitudinally through this tube, branch wires 26 being connected to said leadwires and to the lamps, and said branch wires extending through holes 27 in the said tube. 'Ihes'e leads are supplied with current through connections extending, preferably, .within the joints between the glass plates,\so as tobe concealed, said wires 23 24 boing extended through the top reflectorplate and respectively along the `top and front edge of one of the glass end plates 5, said grlass plate having grooves 27 in its top and. ont edges for ther' reception of these wires. The wire 24, which extends over the top of the end plate, is continued downthro'ugh a bore 28 in the back post 29 of the case to connect with a switch 30, which establishes connection with the main supply circuit in the .usual manner, and the wire 25 extends below the bottomof the case to connect with the same switch, said switch being located, preferably, at the back of the case.

Inassembling theL case the box-strip of the reiiector is placed on the top of` the front plate, its lianges 13 engaging with the front plate to hold the members from lateral glass plates having been assembled the top plate 3 comes to rest on'top of the upper strip element of the box-strip in such manner as to hold the reflector in. place. In practice the said boxstrip or the cushioning means 14 thereon may be cemented in such manner' asto bind the parts firmly itogether, the box-strip therefor constituting a construction element of the show-case, or, if desired, the boxstrip may form. an el'ement of metallic v connections extending through the joints and binding the glass plates to the frame. Fig. 6 shows such a construction where the end of the box-strip is fastened to a corner-fitting31 of the usual type, which is connected by bind- -ing devices extending between the joints ofl theyglass plates to the frame in the wellknown manner to bind the elements of the ase^'together. f l j Figs, 7 and 8 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein the box-strip 32 is formed-asametngular, tube pmvdd with flanges or downward extensions ?j3` 34, engaging with the front and rear walls of the front glass plate 4, the extension 34 forming also one wall of thereector and the other wall 35 of the reflector being attached to the top of the inner face of the box-strip. Said box-strip is 'provided with holes 36 in its front and rearwalls, said lholes alternating, so

' as to screen or cut off the light from sight at the front ofthe case, while permitting free passage of air.

The invention is also applicable; to a wooden frame-case, as shown 1n Figs. 9 and 10, the wooden top strip 37 at the top of the front glass vplate of the case having -a boxstrip 38, attached to itsrear faceand carrying reflector-plates 39 40, and said wooden strip being perforated, as at 41, said perforations alternating with perforations 42in the wall of the bex-strip to allow ventilation while cutting off the access of light to the front of the case. These perforations 43 may be eyeleted, as at 44.` In each of the above forms the structure of the lamp-supporting means 21 22 23 may be substantially the same as that first described.

The lamps are supported in the reflector in such manner that the light therefrom is reflected downwardly andi inwardly into the case to illuminate the articles therein and is cut off from the top of the case and from the front, so thatit does shine directly into the eyes of the person inspecting Ythe case from the front or the salesman at the back. l When the lights are in operation, the warmth developed therebyin the case tends to cause an updraft of air, and the current of air resulting will pass upwardly from the reflector and through the rear and front openings in the box-strip, thereby continually Ventilating the case. Under some conditions, however, as when the door is opened or articles are be-u ing removed, there may be temporarily an indraft ofair froml the'box-strip, and under these conditions the f upwardly-extending flange (shown in' Fig. 2) or the lower edge of the perforations in ljigs. 7 to 10 at the rear of the box-strip will tend toarrest the dust and prevent its assage into the case.V

What I c aim is- I 1. A. showy-case comprising a glass top plate and glass Wall-plates, a box-strip extending.

'between the top platel andthe wall-plates and fastened to said plates, said strips having openings for passage l of' air therethrough, ventilator-stripspfextendj` g. from the boxstrip Within the case,ai'1d lamp-supporting means extending between the reflector-strips and supported by a box-strip.

2. A. show-case comprising a top plate and, wall-plates, a box-strip extending in the joint between ther top plate and one of the wallplates and having zdowiiwardly-extending` 4 flanges engaging inside and outside the wall- .platea Said. box-.Strip being. Perfume for the llO passage of air therethrough, and a refiector consisting of strip extensions from the boxstrip.

3. A show-case comprising a top plate and wall-plates, a box-strip extending between the top plate and one of the wall-plates, said box-strip consisting of upper and lower strip elements separated to form a Ventilatingopening between them and provided with strip extensions projecting into the case to form a reflector.

4. A show-case comprising a top plate and wall-plates, a box-strip extending between the top plate and one of the wall-plates, said box-strip consisting of upper and lower strip f elements separated to form a Ventilatingopening between them and provided with strip extensions projecting into the case to form areflector, the lower strip element having downwardly-extending flange means engaging inside and outside the wall-plate.

5. A show-case comprising a top plate and wall-plates, a box-strip extending between the top plate and one of the wall-plates, said box-strip consisting of upper and lower strip elements separated to form a Ventilatingopening between them and provided with strip extensions projecting into the case to form a reflector, the upper strip elements box-strip consistingof upper and lower strip elements separated to form a Ventilatingopening between them and provided with stripv extensions projecting into the case to form a reflector, a tube extending longitudinally between the reflector-strips, electriclarnp supports on said tube, and electric-supply wires extending through the said tube.

and having connections to the electric-lamp su ports.

n testimony whereof I have hereunto `set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 17th day of May', 1906.

MAXIMILIAN E. LA BERGE. Inpresence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, BELL HALL. 

